The Sprout
!
Fourth Oxford Scouts’ Christmas Camp!
The Newsletter for North Hinksey & Botley
Issue 174 February 2023
The Sprout
Issue 174, February 2023!
Contents
3 Christmas Hampers
5 Botley Medical Centre
7 Planning Applications
9 A Botley Childhood
12 Crofts Court
13 Brownies Get Busy
15 Taking Care of Horses
17 Botley Arts
19 Scouts at Christmas
21 Cut Costs, Save Energy
23 Affordable Broadband
25 Food for Free
27 A Year in Raleigh Park
31 Kennington Memory Club
33 Christmas Highlights
35 More Sewage Spills
36 Randoms
38 General Organizations
From the Editor
Welcome to the first Sprout of 2023. Christmas seems a long time ago
now, but still we have to record the various things that happened on
our patch: 4th Scouts festive fun (p19) (and thanks, James Wynne, for
our lovely cover photo), Botley Bridges sent out family hampers (p3),
and there are more Christmas highlights on page 33. There’s a guide to
services at Botley Medical Centre, who have turned things round over
the past year and now have the approval of the CQC (p5); the Brownies
have been busy too (p13) and there’s an interview with one of our
younger readers about her passion for horses on page 15. Looking
backwards, a reader remembers her happy Fifties childhood in the es-
tate behind the Seacourt Bridge (p9), and there’s a review of the past
year in Raleigh Park (p27). Looking ahead, affordable housing is under
construction in a neat and sustainable development near Pinnocks Way
(p12), and there’s an exhibition by local artists in Ss Peter and Paul
Church (p17). Sustainable Botley can now offer informed advice on
ways to reduce your energy bills (p21), and the CA can tell you if you
are eligible for cheaper broadband (p23). There are free hot meals on
Mondays and Wednesdays at Botley Community Kitchen at the Sea-
court Bridge pub (p25). All this and much more in this month’s issue –
Happy Reading!
Ag MacKeith
Christmas Hampers 2022
Thank you for spreading some Christmas
cheer to our local community.
This is the third year that Botley Bridges
has initiated and co-ordinated local ham-
pers and food boxes for families on low
incomes in the Botley, West Oxford and
Cumnor area. This is a real joint commu-
nity effort with donations (both goods and
money) coming from local people, local
shops and the food bank. Volunteers shopped, packed and distributed
the hampers on two days just before Christmas and 120 found their
way to local families.
The boxes contained a mixture of
staple foods and Christmas treats,
as well as some small gifts. House-
holds could request a hamper
themselves, and information went
out via the local schools, pre-
schools, social work departments,
churches and the Botley Bridges
network.
Thank you so much to all the volun-
teers – it couldn’t happen without
you. And thanks to local private do-
nors, and to Tesco, Waitrose, the
Co-op, Aldi and the Oxford Food
Hub.
Botley Bridges is a local family sup-
port charity set up after the Chil-
dren’s Centre was closed in 2017. We rely on parental contributions
and grants and donations and our aim is to support families in the lo-
cal area in a variety of ways – support groups, courses and small
grants that make a difference to families. You can donate on our web-
site or contact the trustees.
For more information the website is www.botleybridges.org or you can
contact the coordinator on coordinator@botleybridges.org or the trus-
tees on trustees@botleybridges.org
A Guide to Services at the Botley Medical Centre
There are many different ways to get medical help from Botley Medi-
cal Centre.
Appointments with clinicians: You can consult nurses, health care
assistants, the midwife, physician’s associates, paramedics, first con-
tact physiotherapists, clinical pharmacists, care co-ordinators, social
prescribers and primary care healthcare workers (from Mind) at the
Practice. A mental health practitioner is also being recruited.
Start by giving the receptionist a brief description of your clinical
needs so that they can connect you with the most appropriate person.
Or book the appointment yourself, four to six weeks in advance, by
phoning after 11am.
GP appointments: you can book a same-day appointment with a GP
by calling early in the day; or you can book an appointment online to
see a GP face to face.
For the latter, you will need to request online access at the Practice
first. Once it is set up, download the PatientAccess app onto your
smartphone, tablet or home computer. You will need to identify your-
self by following a number of steps. Once your account is set up, you
will be able to log in safely and securely. This booking service can on-
ly be used for ‘on the day’ appointments after 0800 hours and will only
offer a slot if one is available that day. (Five appointments per GP, per
day, are kept for such bookings, and they are often not taken up.)
Please book an appointment this way if you can.
Blood test results can also be seen through the app.
Other Healthcare services: Certain healthcare services can be
booked without a GP consultation first, as follows:
⇒ for muscle- or joint-related issues, Healthshare provides a local
physio service, here: https://healthshare.org.uk/refer-patient/
⇒ for Adults with mild or moderate depression and anxiety,
TalkingSpacePLus provides the IAPT service in Oxfordshire, here:
https://www.oxfordhealth.nhs.uk/talkingspaceplus/
Readers of the Sprout will be aware that the recent CQC inspection
has produced a rating of “overall good’ for the Practice. This is a sig-
nificant improvement upon the previous Inspection. The Partners
have thanked the Patient Participation Group (PPG) for their contin-
ued support, and in response the PPG congratulates the Partners and
all the staff at the
Practice for their hard work, which has resulted in this very good rat-
ing, and looks forward to continuing to work collaboratively.
The CQC full report is on the CQC website, and can be accessed
here: https://www.cqc.org.uk/location/1-544081039
Chris Sugden
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
LOCAL PLANNING APPLICATIONS
P22/V2778/HH
94 Westminster Way. Single sto-
rey rear & side extension with
conversion of existing garage.
21 Nov
TDD: 16 Jan
P22/V2825/S73
s73 application
to modify ap-
proved plans)
P22/V0480/HH
42 Hutchcomb Rd. Change
ridge height & roof finish for sin-
gle storey rear extension; alter
rooflight. Add solar panels to
front & rear roof slopes.
29 Nov
Target Deci-
sion Date:
24 Jan
P22/V2827/HH
57 Yarnells Hill. Single storey
garden annexe/pool house with
outdoor swimming pool.
29 Nov
TDD: 24 Jan
P22/V2842/LDP
7 Finmore Rd. Alter existing
dormer & extending.
30 Nov
TDD: 25 Jan
P22/V2856/PDH
71 Arthray Rd. Erect single sto-
rey rear extension.
2 Dec
TDD: 26 Jan
P22/V2869/HH
17 Laburnum Rd. Single storey
extension at rear.
5 Dec
TDD: 30 Jan
P22/V2837/HH
47 Laburnum Rd. Single storey
rear & 2-storey side extension.
7 Dec
TDD: 1 Feb
P22/V2910/LDP
13 Hutchcomb Rd. New front
window to replace existing door.
8 Dec
TDD: 2 Feb
P22/V2610/HH
Flat 1 Little Dene Yarnells Hill.
Build garden room for Flat 1
use.
23 Dec
TDD: 17 Feb
P22/V2711/FUL
4 North Hinksey Lane. Build 6
flats, car parking,existing build-
ing to be retained.
23 Dec
TDD: 17 Feb
P22/V2993/HH
10 Yarnells Hill. Erect open sid-
ed car port on front driveway.
6 January
TDD: 3 March
A Botley Childhood
Today’s children can only begin to imag-
ine the sort of childhood we enjoyed in
Botley in the 1950s. Our playground was
Seacourt, Poplar and Hazel Roads and
the adjacent fields. Playing rounders in
the turning circle at the top of Hazel Road
wasn’t unheard of. Then we would decide
who would go into a resident’s garden to
retrieve a tennis ball or a football. It took
some discussion, as one old gentleman
living in the turning circle was very hostile
towards children! We also had the “Backie”, and Wytham Woods
where we used to play Waggon Train. We all had our designated
roles to play, decided in advance. Then there was the Up-and-
Downey Field where the Botley Roundabout is now. Wytham Lane
really was a lane, then, and I could still show you where the donkey
field was. Picking bluebells and primroses in Wytham Woods for our
Mums was so enjoyable, but would be frowned upon now. Blackber-
rying with our parents was also a regular pastime and then the Mums
would bottle the blackberries or make jelly or jam.
The Backie was a field where the Seacourt Older People’s bungalows
are now. There was an Air Raid shelter at the entrance with a barbed
wire fence to stop us climbing onto it, but that didn’t stop us. We were
familiar with every detail on top and inside the Air Raid shelter. Even
though the entrances at both ends had been bricked up, we could still
climb down inside and we played there quite happily!
There was a ditch at the bottom of the Backie, which we shared with
the cows. We played in it for hours jumping over it, hanging a rope
from a tree to swing over it. Someone always ended up falling in, or
the rope would break and the child come crashing down. The trees
were tall and they were there to be climbed, of course. One particular
friend would climb the highest one, get stuck at the top when she
looked down, and then we drew straws as to who would go and fetch
her Dad to rescue her. He was none too happy, I can tell you, and
would berate us for letting her go up there in the first place, but there
was little we could do to stop her!
Washing our hands in water troughs provided for the cows wasn’t un-
heard of, either, when we got mud on them – which, of course, we
did!! The cows didn’t seem to mind and neither did we. We played
outside in the fresh air and even when it rained we seemed to enjoy
ourselves, sheltering in a shed or inside a hedge in the Backie –
sometimes lighting fires to keep ourselves warm. We loved making
dens where we could enjoy ourselves away from the adults! If any-
one hurt themselves, someone would run and get their Mum or Dad.
It was generally Mum, as Dad would have been out at work. We used
to organize “plays” and act them out in the garden of 7 Seacourt Road
to raise money for the Association for the Blind. Yes, we sold tickets
and the neighbours would pay a small sum to watch – and we really
did organize a postal order and send it off…
So: no mobiles, no computers, just early television in black and white.
(The Lone Ranger was a favourite, with his sidekick, Tonto!) No land-
line telephones, no ipads – how did we survive? Very well thank
you!!!! Most of us are still around to tell the tales, and we still laugh
about our escapades.
The local boys would often join us in the Backie and teams would be
organized for cricket and football. What good times those were!
Jenny Holloway (nee Morin)
Crofts Court
Work is going
well on this
welcome patch
of affordable
housing along
the Eynsham
Road. The roof is
on, the windows
are in, and it is
on schedule for
tenants to move
in by the
summer. Once
residents have
settled in, we
hope to welcome as many of you as possible as members, investors
and neighbours, to come and see for yourselves how community-led
housing can really be of benefit.
The one-bed apartments have been very popular, but there is still a
chance of a two-bed one. If you are registered with the Vale and wish
to be in line for a two-bed flat, go to https://www.whitehorse
homechoice.org.uk. If you are wondering what all this is about, see the
December Sprout.
Chance to invest
We are glad and proud to announce that the Oxfordshire Community
Land Trust share offer has managed to raise over
half its target investment in just nine weeks. How-
ever, there is still a way to go, so please do consid-
er investing in this worthwhile pro-
ject. You can sign up now at
www.ethex.org.uk/invest/OCLT
And if you want to support the project but can’t afford
to invest you can still join us for just £1. Go to
www.oclt.org.uk/support-us/ or use your phone.
Fran Ryan, OCLT secretary
Brownies Get Busy
November and December were both very busy months for us at 2nd
Botley Brownies. To start with our newest adult volunteer had her
Brownie name of “Bumble Bee” chosen by the Unit from a short-list of
four. Then on 13th November we reverently laid poppy crosses at the
graves of the aircrew of our adopted veteran, Ted. We now act entire-
ly on his behalf and in memory of him since his passing in 2019. We
also added a poppy cross in his honour to the other eight we laid
down at the Botley Commonwealth War Graves after the annual Re-
membrance Day Service.
Straight after Remembrance
Sunday we got on with doing our
UK Parliament Week 2022 edi-
tion Badge, during which we
learnt about the restored clock
face of the Elizabeth Tower (ask
any of our Brownies and they will
tell you that Big Ben is the bell
inside the tower!). We listened to
the Brownie Leaders pitching a
pretend new law and then com-
pleted our polling cards and vot-
ed. Tawny Owl’s won unani-
mously: “Every class in school
should have a pet.” We also played a fact-learning but rather raucous
game of “Big Ben Bongo” which was a little bit like playing bingo but
the twelve numbers of the clock face were all facts about the UK Par-
liament. When all your pre-selected numbers were called you had to
shout out “Bongo!” as opposed to “Bingo!” Yes, it did feel silly doing
that – but the girls wanted another go and their voices had become
much bigger and more confident.(See photo.)
We had a couple of evenings doing more Girlguiding badge work,
then after a weekend Christmas Disco, we got crafty. We spent a rest-
ful evening turning tiny pieces of special paper into decoupage deco-
ration on Christmas baubles and stockings. Finally, for our last meet-
ing before the Christmas break we had a great time playing party
games and each girl left with a Christmas present from the Unit.
Written by the Owls at 2nd Botley Brownies.
Taking care of horses
I cycle up to the graz-
ing fields in North
Hinksey, thinking
how amazing it is to
have such beautiful
fields and horses so
close to the city cen-
tre. I’m here to inter-
view Lia Sarfatti
about horse care,
thinking that it basi-
cally involves feeding
and watering them
and… I guess…
sometimes I see
them wearing coats?
And then you trot
them around in cir-
cles? Well, nothing
had prepared me for the complexity of the task.
“It totally depends on the horse,” says Lia. “If they live outside, they
mostly graze on grass, but some may need supplemental feed, espe-
cially in the winter, because the grass is low on nutrients. If they are
kept in stables, then they are given hay. This horse here is 43 years
old, more than 100 in human terms. She has no teeth, so we get
dried pellets of specialist food, and we need to add water and stir, and
let it sit before we can give it to her.
“Some horses have medical problems. For instance, this horse had
thrush, so its foot needed to be scrubbed with Hibiscrub daily. They
may need fly spray in the summer. We tend to clip their fur in the win-
ter so that they don’t get too sweaty when we exercise them, but that
means they need more rugs to keep them warm. At the moment it’s
cold at night but warm during the day, so we put on a coat in the
evening and take it off in the morning. Horses’ hooves keep growing
like our nails: depending on where the horse gets ridden, it may be
shod.
“In the winter these horses get taken to higher ground because their
usual fields flood. We need to pick up their poo from the fields to pre-
vent a build-up of manure. And stones have been put down by the
gates so it doesn’t get too muddy.” Having seen Lia in action, I can
vouch for the fact that just basic horse maintenance involves an awful
lot of walking, lifting and carrying.
So how did she get started? “I took riding lessons at the Old Manor
House when it was still a riding stable. After it shut, I tried several
other riding schools, but I wasn’t happy there. Then I found a riding
school in Faringdon that I liked. I started just taking riding classes.
Then it turned out that they have a scheme where you can loan a
horse: you get to ride the same horse three times a week, and on
weekends you help to take care of the horse. I did that for two years.
That’s where I learned a lot about taking care of horses.
“I’ve recently got a horse of my own. We had to introduce her very
slowly to the other horses, first by having her meet a very gentle small
horse, and then adding new friends until she became part of the herd.
I had looked at horse rescue centres, but most of the horses there
aren’t rideable. At the moment I’m working on “flat work” with her,
which is the basics of having the horse respond to your commands.
You can’t jump the horse, or do dressage, or go hacking if the horse’s
flat work isn’t good.” Dressage is what I think of as ‘dancing with the
horse’ and hacking is riding in the open countryside.
Lia clearly loves her horse. “She
is so sweet-natured. I love to
groom her. I thought I wouldn’t
enjoy having a horse if I couldn’t
ride it, but I think I’d love being
with her even if I couldn’t.” Lia’s
horse is lucky to have such an
informed and dedicated owner.
Explained by Lia Sarfatti to Riki
Therivel
BOTLEY ARTS host NORTH HINKSEY ART GROUP
Botley Arts are looking forward to welcoming North Hinksey Art Group
to their next exhibition in the Church of SS Peter & Paul, West Way
from Monday 6th February until 29th April 2023. We very much hope
you can come in to see the paintings, perhaps next time you are at
the Botley shops?
NHAG is a small and friendly art group, meeting in North Hinksey W.I.
Hall every Wednesday morning
during term time. The social as-
pects of meeting regularly – tea,
biscuits, and a friendly environ-
ment – are essential to the mak-
ing of our art. The classes are led
by the talented Christina Wartke-
Dunbar, who encourages creativi-
ty and development, with a new
subject every week.
The exhibition displays a wide
range of subjects – flower and animal studies, interiors, landscapes
and seascapes, as well as local scenes. The pictures are all by stu-
dents from the class. Our artworks employ a number of different me-
dia: pen and wash, pastel, acrylic and collage on canvas, and of
course watercolour. For more information on the classes of North
Hinksey Art Group you can google www.christinas-art-classes.co.uk or
call 07931 707997. The classes are for everyone, from complete be-
ginners or those with some experience. For more information on Bot-
ley Arts, especially if you are interested in exhibiting work, please see
the website on https://botleyarts.uk
North Hinksey Art Group wel-
come you to explore and enjoy
our work in the church between
the hours of 10am and 4pm
from Monday to Saturday, and
12 noon to 4pm on Sunday.
Details will be available should
you wish to purchase a picture,
and we look forward to reading
your comments in the visitors'
book.
Viv Smith
Camping at Christmas
In early December the Fourth Oxford
Scout Group held its annual Christmas
Camp. Of the 135 young people who
stayed at Youlbury for the weekend,
Beavers and Cubs slept indoors, whilst
all the Scouts and the older Cubs
camped both nights. There were lots of
activities including caving, rock climbing
(as per photo), den building, archery,
geocaching, pizzas cooked in card-
board ovens outdoors above a fire,
challenges such as making human pyr-
amids, Christmas crafts and making
LED Christmas cards.
There was Christmas dinner for every-
one on Saturday night (see photo be-
low) followed by the traditional leaders’
pantomime (‘Peter Pan’ this year), and then some of the Scouts did
their own version of
the Twelve Days of
Christmas. We would
like to thank the
leaders and young
leaders, and the par-
ents who helped with
activities and so
much cooking. For
the last event of the
term we hired the
whole of Bicester’s
trampoline park for a
party with pizza af-
terwards.
The Fourth Oxford Scout Group is a registered charity run entirely by
volunteers, with 165 young people aged between 6 and 14 meeting
five nights a week, also at some weekends and holidays. We are
temporarily based at Oxford Rugby Club (we are extremely grateful
for their support). We can be contacted at mail@thefourth.org.uk.
James Wynne, chair of trustees.
Cut Costs, Save Energy, Help the Planet
Gas prices are likely to stay high for the foreseeable future. We know
people have been cutting back on heating, even during the recent
cold snaps. If you are struggling to pay bills, or worried about debts or
being put on a prepayment meter, there is help available. Just get in
touch with Steve Jones, the lead home energy advisor in the Sustain-
able Botley team: swj6601@gmail.com.
Thanks so much to everyone who’s come forward to have your home
surveyed for energy saving opportunities. We picked eight typical Bot-
ley houses; they have all been surveyed and about half have now
been analysed, but it is taking longer than expected! We will publish
the full results as soon as we have them.
For some Botley houses there are straightforward recommendations.
For the 1950s semis, injected cavity fill cuts heating costs by 20%.
Adding 100mm of mineral wool between the joists of an uninsulated
loft would save 30%. Replacing single glazing with double would save
about 15%. In fact many of these houses have loft and wall insulation
and double-glazing already in place, but the loft insulation can be
patchy, often because it’s been lifted for wiring work and not replaced
properly. Tidying it up and filling in any gaps would save energy at
very little or no cost, and would eliminate indoor cold spots that can
attract moisture and mould.
Many of our houses have a mixture of wall types, which makes it
harder to tackle the insulation. The Seacourt Road bungalows and
some of the 1930s semis have cavity end walls, but the front and rear
might be some kind of solid wall. Some semis have timber-framed
sections under their upstairs bay windows. Filling the cavities with in-
sulation does save on the heating and there are grants for low income
and vulnerable households. The solid walls will still lose a lot of heat;
the most effective solution is external insulation which is expensive,
but look out for news about the Government’s “ECO+” grants, an-
nounced last year for introduction this April – to be distributed through
energy supply companies.
We borrowed a thermal imaging camera from Low Carbon Hub in
December, and it was really helpful in showing up some of the details
of heat loss through odd wall types and patchy insulation. We’ve
booked it again for the week of 13th February. If you’re interested in
looking for the energy saving opportunities in your home, please do
contact me at laurie@livingwitness.org.uk. I’ll schedule in as many
visits as I can.
The Government’s 2021 Net Zero Strategy aims to replace most boil-
ers with heat pumps by 2035, and there are grants available to do this
now, through the Boiler Upgrade Scheme. Energy efficiency experts
have long advocated a “fabric first” approach – insulating your home
as much as possible before changing the heating system. This makes
sense because you can then size the heating system appropriately.
Heat pumps are often installed with underfloor heating, because that
works with water circulating at 35-40°C rather than the 55°C plus that
radiators are usually designed for – and the heat pumps are more ef-
ficient working to lower temperatures.
The biggest surprise for me has been realising that it makes sense for
most homes to install a heat pump even without adding insulation or
changing the radiators. Heat pumps have become more efficient, and
there are now models that will deliver water to radiators at 60°C. In
milder weather you can run the radiators at a lower temperature to get
the best efficiency from the heat pump. You’d have much lower car-
bon emissions, and the current high price of gas compared with elec-
tricity means you’d have lower running costs with the heat pump than
a boiler.
Take a look at sustainablebotley.uk for more details of our activities
and links to other sources of information. Laurie Michaelis
Sign up for low-cost broadband
Citizens Advice Henley has noticed that people in need are not taking
advantage of cheap broadband and mobile phone schemes, set up
specially to help them. Loosely termed “social tariffs” or “essential
broadband”, these schemes are discounted deals intended for those
on Universal Credit, Pension Credit, Employment and Support Allow-
ance, and some other benefits. Statistics show that only a tiny number
of those eligible to register for these low tariffs have done so, although
they could save over £100 a year.
Social tariffs are provided in the same way as normal phone and In-
ternet packages, but at a lower price. Network providers liaise with the
Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) to ascertain customers’ eli-
gibility, and the DWP is required to provide only the necessary infor-
mation, so that personal information remains safe.
At the time of writing, not all telecom companies offer social tariffs, but
people who qualify can switch to a supplier that does provide them.
The usual fees for switching contracts, leaving a contract early, or
terminating them have been scrapped in many cases for those on
benefits who qualify for these tariffs – but check with your supplier to
make sure.
More information is available on the Citizens Advice website
https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk or you can call Adviceline on 0808
278 7907. You can also go to https://www.gov.uk and search for
“cheaper broadband” or to https://www.ofcom.org.uk (search “social
tariffs”).
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Oxford Spring Clean-up
This will be over the first two weekends in March – 3rd to 5th and 10th
to 12th. Anyone and everyone is invited to get together, separately or
in groups, to clean up those spaces round our patch that generally get
neglected. A place as famous for volunteering as Botley should have
no difficulty in setting up a few groups to deal with notorious hotspots
like the bike path up to the A34, or the banks along Westminster Way.
Once you’ve got a few names, register at Oxclean.org.uk and take it
from there. Please give them ten days’ notice if you can. They will
supply hi viz vests, litter pickers and sacks.
Food for Free
On a cold, raw day in January, I set
out to see what Doc Saman’s Com-
munity Kitchen was all about. I knew
the general idea – he was cooking
up meals from food that would oth-
erwise have gone to waste, and he
was serving them to anyone who
came along to the Seacourt Bridge
on a Monday or a Wednesday after-
noon. Hot meals for anyone and
everyone, no questions asked. I had
a nervous feeling that he wasn’t get-
ting very many takers, and I thought
it would be a shame if all that good
will went to waste (as well as the
food). Besides it might be a chance
to get a tasty take-away for supper!
I needn’t have worried The Seacourt Bridge was a haven of quiet
warmth. It wasn’t packed, but it wasn’t empty either, and people were
sitting around, peacefully chatting and eating. Saman came out to say
hello, and brought me a plate to try. I asked how things were going,
and he said the take-up was between 30 and 60 a day. Quite a wide
range, I thought, but he said nothing was wasted, because any food
left was put into boxes and served out later to anyone who asked for
it. And anything left was frozen, for distribution at the West Oxford
Community Larder on Fridays.
He didn’t cook it all by himself – he had a little squad of volunteers
from Matthew Arnold School and elsewhere, and his young son was
there to help too.
I said I felt a bit of a fraud, taking his supplies, but he insisted that the
only way for people who really needed a hot meal not to feel noticed,
was for them to be lost in the crowd. So I gladly took away a Tupper-
ware supper for my household, and very nice it was too!
On my way home, I called in on an old friend, recently bereaved and
rather lonely, and mentioned where I had been. He was delighted to
hear what was on offer, and shot off to get his own supplies.
Well done, Doc, and all power to your elbow!
Ag MacKeith
A Year in Raleigh Park
Despite the vagaries of the weather, and the uncertainties of COVID,
there has been continuous activity in the Park, and our efforts contin-
ue to be noticed and appreciated. The fen restoration work funded by
the Freshwater Habitats Trust was recognised by a Letter of Com-
mendation in the Oxford Preservation Trust Awards for 2022 – our
second such award, though the bigger prizes of Plaques and Certifi-
cates continue to elude us. We are grateful to Judy Webb and Andy
Gunn for providing photographs to support our application, and to Rod
D'Ayala and Adam Bows for carrying out the rewetting work leading to
the award (see photo).
Clive Smith and Adam Bows flew the flag for the Friends with a stall at
the Botley Jubilee Festival in June. We were delighted to receive a
grant from North Hinksey Parish Council towards the purchase of no-
ticeboards, which will be located at the main entries to the Park, to
allow us to display information about the Park wildlife and notifications
of our activities. The remainder of the costs will be covered by dona-
tions, and we hope to add an information board nearby when funds
allow. OCC have agreed to install the boards for us, and we are look-
ing for volunteers to help design
our wildlife information displays.
Volunteer work in the Park has
been coordinated by Adam
Bows, with support from OCC
and BBOWT. Our links with the
Freshwater Habitats Trust con-
tinue, as Adam now works for the
Trust, as does our former Wild
Oxford godfather Andy Gunn.
Some of the equipment installed
for Adam’s MSc research is still
producing valuable measure-
ments of water levels and water
quality. The benefits of the re-
wetting programme were appar-
ent when the Park recovered with
surprising speed from the pro-
tracted drought of the Summer.
Adam has created a
Park Twitter account @RaleighParkOx to supplement his personal ac-
count @at_bows, both of which are steadily gaining followers. His
posts provide observations of wild flowers and fungi, and a record of
volunteer activities and the work of our guardian angel Judy Webb in
reintroducing lost species to the Park.
The bird feeding station has been ably maintained by David Brown
and Clive Smith, and has been kept well stocked by a small group of
members, now coordinated by David. Clive also continues to maintain
the bird boxes in the Park. The Oxford Badger Group ran their vac-
cination programme for a second year. In June we said farewell to
Carl Whitehead, our Park ranger, who was a constant presence in the
Park, managing work and work parties and providing assistance and
encouragement.
Planning issues continue to require our attention and vigilance. Two
proposals, both in the heart of the water catchment area for the fen,
have been with the Vale Planning service. One, for two houses be-
side the bridleway from Yarnells Hill, was rushed through planning
approval, with a number of toothless planning conditions regarding
protection of the Park.
The second, for three luxury houses on land owned by the Warburg
family, immediately above the Long Tongue fen, and requiring the re-
location of an active badger sett, has been rumbling on for two years,
with cosmetic amendments by the developers eliciting ever more de-
tailed responses from ourselves, Judy Webb and Adam Bows. (In the
process we have learned a lot about hydrology, planning law, SuDS
and vortex flow control systems.) The proposal was due to go to the
Vale Planning Committee in December, but was taken off the agenda
at the last minute, and is scheduled to return in the New Year. I am
grateful to Councillor Debby Hallett for her steadfast support, and for
the cooperation of other groups and individuals objecting to the
scheme, which has allowed us to present a united front.
In the background a small battle has been won, in that the Vale now
seem to accept that OCC, as owners of the Park, the Friends as an
interested party, and the Freshwater Habitats Trust as a stakeholder,
are entitled to be consulted in a more formal way than has been the
case.
As ever, full details of Park activities will be found on our website
www.raleighpark.org.uk
Stephen Parkinson
Day Centre News
February already!
Have you got used to it being 2023 now? For most people the need to
write the date has reduced now we don’t write cheques, make
payments online or by card, and have the date updated automatically
by computer. So the reinforcement in our minds of which year it is
does not happen so frequently, and our memory can let us down
when we’re put on the spot. It is like this all the time for those with
dementia. The memory becomes totally unreliable, with great holes in
it. Even the good times and enjoyable events of the past that we used
to recall and remember with pleasure may not be there any more.
How are those New Year resolutions going?
Kennington Memory Club is looking for new volunteers who could
offer particular skills, talents, experience or interests to share, such as
piano playing, leading exercise sessions, arts and crafts, leading
singing, or to leading reminiscence sessions. Helen, our Organiser,
on 07852 883496, is the go-to person to contact about this. Or is
fund-raising your thing? Chris would love to hear from you on 01865
300345.
Kennington Memory Club offers company, activities, games, sing-
songs and a delicious hot lunch to its members at the Day Centre,
whilst the carers benefit from some valuable respite time from their
responsibilities. Contact Helen on the number above if you would like
to register a person with dementia for the Club.
A date to note: Kennington Super
Spring Sale will be held at St
Nicolas’ Church, Abingdon on the
morning of Saturday March 11th.
Do come along to support the Club.
There will be bargains galore!
P.S. Keep your eyes open for
more information about Ladderthon
2023, coming up shortly!
www.kenningtonmemoryclub.org.uk
Day$Centre$News$
!
"#$%&!
Christmas Highlights
February seems a bit late to re-
member Christmas highlights, but
better late than never, so let’s
pay tribute here to the Lunch
Club Christmas Dinner. This fes-
tive meal, with its well-dressed
tables and raffle, was as popular
as ever and many of the volun-
teers who went to so much trou-
ble to decorate the tables and
cook the delicious food, were also
to be seen in Seacourt Hall on
17th December, when the parish
council offered mulled wine and
mince pies to Botley’s cohort of
volunteers. About a hundred people came, many a good connection
was made – the Sprout, for instance, got to shake hands with some of
the stalwarts
who are setting
up our online
archive. Ali
Hogg’s brilliant
Christmas
decorations,
courtesy of all
the local
schools who
coloured in the
card shapes he
supplied, added a festive touch, and a good time was had by all. The
picture shows Caroline Potter, hardworking chair of the council, enu-
merating the dozens of different groups who were represented.
Elsewhere, carol singers were out. Here’s a word from a group on
Elms Rise: 'Big thanks once again to the residents of Cedar, Beech
and Laburnum Roads who supported the house-to-house carol sing-
ing just before Christmas. The singers from Wesley Memorial Method-
ist Church raised £194.18 for Christian Aid’s Christmas Appeal and
the carols were greatly enjoyed by residents of all ages, and the sing-
ers too. Thank you! www.wesleymem.org.uk.”
More Sewage Spills in Seacourt Stream
Since some time last year, Thames Water have been publicizing the
dates when there are sewage spills in our rivers. They mainly cover
Witney Sewage Treatment Works and Cassington STW upstream of
Port Meadow and Oxford STW downstream. On Jan 2nd this year
they launched a new River Quality system linked into their Event Du-
ration Monitors, recording storm discharges. The link to the new sys-
tem is: https://www.thameswater.co.uk/edm-map where you will find
maps showing the current situation.
There were two days in January when heavy rain resulted in sewage
discharges into our local little river. The sewage spills out from Com-
bined Sewer Overflows – escape valves for when a heavy downpour
flushes huge quantities of rainwater into the system threatening to
overwhelm it. There are two CSOs in Botley, one at the entrance to
Westminster Way and one in North Hinksey Lane by Willow Walk.
The Sprout receives notification from WASP (Windrush Against Sew-
age Pollution) when our patch is hit, and we were told of releases on
12th January and on January 14th. The map at the link above only
shows the current position and the most recent discharge. It’s too late
to see how bad the first one was, but the second one was for 3hrs 40
mins into the river from Westminster Way, and for 12 hrs 15 mins by
Willow Walk.
Having said that, the very widespread flooding – nice to see the flood
plain doing its job! – must have ensured the sewage was very well
diluted indeed, so we don’t need to lose too much sleep over this lat-
est spill. Thames Water seem to be wholehearted in their determina-
tion to restore the rivers in their care to the clean waters they used
to be, and their website is easy to access and understand. For more
information on these releases see www.thameswater.co.uk/riverhealth
It's a great start that they are not
trying to hide what’s going on –
what we need now is for it to
stop! Meanwhile, we can help by
making sure we’ve put some
planting to absorb rainfall around
the parking spaces in what used
to be our front gardens, and by
refraining from using our wash-
ing machines on a daily basis!
AgM
Randoms
Warm welcome
UK Oxfordshire will be hosting a Warm Space in Seacourt Hall every
week from Tues 14 Feb – Tues 28 March from 1pm-2.30pm, in part-
nership with Seacourt Hall. All adults are welcome to come in for a
free cuppa and a warm welcome, and especially our older resi-
dents. There will be information available, book corner and card
games. Looking forward to seeing you there. Contact Diane on 0782
7235 436 or email dianelong@ageukoxfordshire.org.uk if you would
like to know more or to work out how to get there.
Time to get walking!
Whether you want to walk on your own or in company, you can find
free down-loadable details of walks and groups online at
https://www.walkinginengland.co.uk/oxfordshire. Walks can be from
half a mile to twelve miles long, and there’s a note of suitability for
pushchairs and wheelchairs, so everyone can find a walk to enjoy.
John Harris
Hi-viz Sprout
It seemed a pity to waste the Sprout logo devised for the football kit of
the Weetabix Wildcats (aka the female element of Botley Boys and
Girls Football Club), so we decided to invest in some branded hi-viz
vests for our sturdy deliverers. From now on they will stand out in the
crowd, and given the dank foggy weather towards the end of January,
that can only be a good thing!
Being old has compensations!
U3A members are offered a free tour at the Ashmolean, on Tuesday
21 February or
Tuesday, 21
March, from 2-4pm, looking at images of
the natural world in the museum's collections. The sessions will start
with a guided gallery tour of about an hour, taking in images from na-
ture on ancient sculpture, carvings and artwork; the use of flowers,
trees, and leaves in objects from Eastern art; and, in Western art,
looking the stories of trees in paintings. Refreshments and the chance
to handle some objects related to the session will follow the tour.
There is no need to book, just turn up on the day. However, if you
would like further information, please contact Martha Holland at mar-
tha.holland@obg.ox.ac.uk or on 01865 610305.
Councillor surgeries
Judy Roberts will be holding County Councillor surgeries in Botley Li-
brary between 10 and 12 on the first Saturday of every month. Emily
Smith and Debby Hallett will be holding the next District Councillor
surgery at the Missing Bean between 11 and 12.30 on Sat 25th Feb-
ruary.
Sprout online archive
Hallellujah! It’s ready to go. Anyone interested in looking up back is-
sues of our beloved local newsletter can find them to read or down-
load at https://archive.thesprout.org.uk/ The whole archive isn’t
there yet, but you can at least find all of 2022, and more will follow as
the team get to grips with it. Very many thanks to David Brown and
Gareth Sinclair, as well as to John Lines and Colin and Sally Herson.
The directors are in two minds about having each month’s Sprout
there as well. We’ll let you know as soon as a decision’s made.
Botley Bowl Skatepark
This is still moving ahead more slowly than we would like, but moving
all the same. After many stops and starts, it’s now looking likely that
the planning application will be approved at the February Parish
Council meeting, and will be submitted shortly afterwards. At that
point it will go out to public consultation. And it is sure to come up as a
topic for discussion at the Annual Public Meeting on 16th March.
Council meetings are public events, so feel free to come along on
23rd February to show your support. You can find details of the de-
sign process here: @botleyskatepark on Instagram. The first picture you
see is the latest design, and the one that, with or without a rail, will be sub-
mitted in the planning application.
Flood Scheme
This still hasn’t gone out to public consultation. It is expected to hap-
pen during the Spring but dates have yet to be announced. Mean-
while, the scheduled January–March closure of Willow Walk for wid-
ening the bridleway and foot-bridge has been postponed due to flood-
ing (!) The work is intended to: replace the footbridge with a 3m wide
deck for pedestrians and cyclists; widen the existing bridleway from
1.8m to 3m, and resurface it, reconstructing the existing culvert near
the footbridge, and diverting the underground utility (11kV) while the
work takes place.
Organizations: If your organization is not listed here, please send details
to editor@thesprout.org.uk or telephone 724452 for inclusion.
Dean Court Community Centre Thur 6–7.30 Jean
Metson, firstbotleybrownies@g m a il.com
Rosary Room, Yarnells Hill. Tues 6:15-7:45 Alison
Griffin 2ndbotleybrownies@outlook.com
mail@thefourth.org.uk Website:
http://www.thefourth.org.uk/
Fridays, Cubs 6.30-8, Scouts 8-9.30, Pavilion, Fogwell Rd.
Amy Cusden (Cubs) 07887 654386, Tom Freeman (Scouts)
07837 623768 xvoxfordscouts@yahoo.co.uk
Tues/Thurs 9.15–11, SS Peter & Paul Church Hall
Wants to connect Botley to Eynsham. Meets every 6-8
weeks. Contact via website B4044path.org
Free Library Service for housebound Ox. 248142
Terri Matthews: clubsecretarybbgfc@gmail.com!
Thursdays, 3.30 to 5.30 at St P&P Church Hall, West
Way, Facebook or email botleylarder@gmail.com
Second Tuesday in the Month, early evening. Con-
tact csugden@ocrpl.org
07922 849680. Open till 7 on Friday and 1pm on Sat,
otherwise 9.30 to 5.30 (closed Wednesdays).
Thursdays 10-12 Seacourt Hall Lounge, Diccon James
07740 611971
Alternate Thursdays. Seacourt Hall. Jackie Warner
Ox.721386
botleyyouthclub@gmail.com
Thursdays, 19.30-21.30 St Andrew’s Ch. Steve Morris,
chair. www.cumnorchoralsociety.wordpress.com
Thurs 7–9pm Cumnor Old School. Steven Bennett
01993 684494 www.cumnorchessclub.co.uk
Last Monday of the month 7.30-9.00 Cumnor Old
School. 01865 724808
http://cumnorgardens.org.uk/ tel 01865 721026
Wed 7.30 at Appleton Village Hall. C. Casson 01235
831352 or harmonyinspires@hotmail.co.uk
Contact: David Millin on david.millin@hill-end.org,
call 863510 or visit www.hillend-oec.co.uk
Family club Email: Tennis@OxfordSportsLTC.org
07824 881680 www.oxfordsportsltc.org
!
Weds 2-3pm, WOCC, Emily 07969 522368 or see
www.emilyschoirs.co.uk
Barbara Brett 249599 or bag@cryhavoc.org.uk
North Hinksey Preschool
and Childcare clubs
Mon–Fri 7.45am–6.00 pm. Tel 794287 or email
nhps.manager1@gmail.com
N Hinksey Art Group
Weds 10–12.00 W.I. Hall Christina 07931 707997
N Hinksey Bellringers
Contact: Ray Rook 01865 241451
N Hinksey Conservation
Volunteers
Meets at weekends Contact Voirrey Carr
07798743121 voirreyc@aol.com
N Hinksey, Friends of
Annual Cricket Match/ Walk. Douglas Bond 791213.
N Hinksey Parish Council
clerk@northhinksey-pc.gov.uk
Oxford Flood Alliance
R Thurston 01865 723663 or 07973 292035
Oxford Flower Arranging
Club
4th Thursday Cumnor. Dympna Walker: Ox 865259
Oxford Harmony
Wednesdays 7.30 – 9.30 pm at Seacourt Hall
Contact pro@oxfordharmony.co.uk
Oxford Otters
Swimming for people with disabilities. Sundays,
twice monthly. Contact: Alan Cusden 723420
Oxford Rugby Club
Boys and girls from 5, kevin.honner@ntlworld.com
Seniors, training etc jbrodley@chandlings.org.uk.
Raleigh Park, Friends of
Email: raleighpark@raleighpark.org.uk
Seacourt Hall Management
Committee
Contact Lottie White, 07452 960100, or see
https://www.seacourthall.org.uk
Shotokan Karate Club
6+ WOCC twice weekly
Martyn King 07836 646450
Stagecoach Botley
Botley School, Saturdays 9:00am–3pm Performing
Arts for 4-16 yr-olds 01865 590510 or 01235 390810
Well-Being Walks, Botley
2nd & 4th Saturdays 9.50 Louie Memorial Field car
park, Arnolds Way. Ashley 07717 714477
West Oxford Bowls Club
Dave Ellerker 07931 603801
wobc.membership@gmail.com!
West Oxford Taekwon Do
Club
Mon, Thurs 6.30-8pm, MA gym, contact Chris Hall
01865 570291 www.wotkd.co.uk
West Oxford U3A
(Uni of the 3rd Age) http://westoxfordu3a.org.uk/
Women’s Institute (Botley)
Alison Jenner 07598 251161
alisonjenner@yahoo.com
Weight Watchers
Thursdays 6pm at SS Peter & Paul Church Hall
Banso tel: 07779 253899 bansob@aol.com
The Sprout
The Newsletter for North Hinksey & Botley
Directors: Janet Bartlam, Judi Bolder, John Clements,
Michael Cockman, Ag MacKeith, Robin Palmer
Editor
Ag MacKeith
South View House, Old Botley, OX2 0JR Tel: 724452 Editor@TheSprout.org.uk
Advertising Manager
Michael Cockman
50, St Paul's Crescent OX2 9AG Tel: 07766 317691 Adverts@TheSprout.org.uk
Deliveries
Jan Shirley and Isabelle Hayes
9, Sweetmans Road OX2 9BA 07706 606719 Deliveries@TheSprout.org.uk
Copy Date: Copy by 15th of month preceding publication. Earlier submission is
welcome. Later contributions may have to be held over to the next issue.
Advertisements: If you have print-ready advertisements in the correct format the
last day for booking advertising is the 10th of the month preceding publication; in all
other circumstances more advance notice will be needed. For details about exact
sizes, quality requirements, advice on text and help with production, please contact
the Advertising Manager.
Advertising rates:
½ page: 1 issue £56; 3 issues £135; 5 issues £196; 10 issues; £336
¼ page: 1 issue £28; 3 issues £67.50; 5 issues £98; 10 issues; £168
1/8 page: 1 issue £14; 3 issues £33.75; 5 issues £49; 10 issues; £84
Subscriptions: If you live outside North Hinksey Parish you can still receive The
Sprout on a regular basis. Just take out a postal subscription – only £12 per annum,
delivered to your door. Contact: Janet Bartlam: 01865 453111.
Whilst every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of information printed in this
newsletter, mistakes may happen. The Editor and Team apologize unreservedly for
any errors that may occur and will do their best to correct them. This publication is not
a vehicle of the parish council, and parish councillors working with the Sprout do so in
a personal capacity. Opinions expressed are the opinions of the individual
contributors.
All concerned in the production and delivery of The Sprout are unpaid volunteers.
The Sprout is printed by The Holywell Press, and published by
North Hinksey Parish Publications Ltd, (a company limited by
guarantee) Registration No. 05609535.
Botley Baptist Church,
I Church Way
Contact: Building Manager 07742
662668 botleybaptist@gmail.com
The Rosary Room
Yarnells Hill, Elms Rise
Contact: Maria Brown,
Te l : 0 1 8 6 5 2 4 7 9 8 6 .
SS Peter & Paul Church
Hall, West Way, Botley
Contact: 01865 242057 or
osneybenefice@outlook.com.
Women's Institute Hall,
North Hinksey Lane
Contact: Val Warner
Te l . 0 1 8 6 5 2 4 5 2 7 3
Seacourt Hall,
3 Church Way
Contact: Lottie White on 07452 960100,
or email admin@seacourthall.org.uk!
Pavilion, Arnold’s Way,
Elms Rise, Botley
Contact: Darren Blase 241254
louiememorialpavilion@gmail.com
Oxford Rugby Club,
North Hinksey Village
Contact:. Mary Bagnall
mary.bagnall1@btinternet.com.
North Hinksey & Botley Churches
Times of Services (once resumed) and Contacts
St. Lawrence, Church of England, North Hinksey Lane
1st, 2nd, 4
th
, 5
th
Sunday 11.30am Holy Communion
3 rd Sunday 11.30am Matins
St. Peter and St. Paul, Church of England, West Way
Sundays 9.30am Holy Communion!
Wednesdays 10.30am Holy Communion in Chapel of Holy Spirit
1st Saturday each month, 4–5.30pm Messy Church for children and carers!
Rev Clare Sykes, Tel. 01865 242345 or revclare@btinternet.com
See table above for Church Hall enquiries.
Our Lady of the Rosary, Roman Catholic, Yarnells Hill
Saturday 6.30pm Mass
Sunday 9.15am Mass
Fr Daniel Lloyd 07584 323915 dlloyd@portsmouthdiocese.org.uk.
Botley Baptist Church, 1 Church Way
Sunday Service 11 am
Wednesday Zoom Bible Study 7.30pm
Choir practice Thursday 2pm
Diane Melchert 07742 662668 www.botleybaptistchurch.org
Calvary Chapel
Sunday services on 1st Floor, 1 Church Way at 9.30am with
crèche, children’s Sunday school and youth group
Pastor Steve Vickery 01865 586332
contact@ccox.church website: www.ccoxford.church
What’s On
February
Mon 6th St Peter and Paul’s Church, art expo of local talent
open till April.
Sat 11th 7.30, St Michael’s Church, Cumnor, Harpers Gar-
deners Folk Concert. Adults pay, children free
Sun 12th 8pm, the Vine in Cumnor, Botley Bridges Quiz
Night
Mon 13th 2.30pm, Dean Court Community Centre, U3A talk:
Catriona Bass: Long Mead – Wildflower Meadow
Restoration and Recovery
13th Feb for a week, Thermal imaging camera available if you
want to monitor where your house loses warmth
(Sustainable Botley) laurie@livingwitness.org.uk
Thur 23rd 7.30, Seacourt Hall, North Hinksey Parish Council
Mon 27th 2.30pm, Dean Court Community Centre, U3A talk,
Jeremy Holmes on “Rags to Riches and Giving it
All Away – The Story of Andrew Carnegie, the
World’s Richest Man”
March
Weekends 3-5 and 7-10, Big Spring Clean (oxclean.org.uk)
Thur 16th Annual Parish Meeting
Every Monday and Wednesday afternoon, between 3 and 5,
Seacourt Bridge Pub, hot meals for free.
Every Thursday, 3-5pm in Ss Peter & Paul Church Hall:
Botley Community Larder